Was Atlantis a real place? Examining this question, bestselling author Mark Adams (Turn Right at Machu Picchu) visited the most likely locations for what once might have been the home of the island that sank beneath the waves. Traveling to Greece, Spain, Malta, Morocco, and other places for research, he documents his investigation, surveys the efforts of scientists and amateur explorers, and studies the clues left by the Greek philosopher Plato (all that we know about Atlantis comes from his writings; many think he was being allegorical). Though Adams may not come up with a definitive answer, curious readers will enjoy this "fun, enthusiastic exploration" (Kirkus Reviews).

If you've ever wondered why war photographers risk their lives for photos, this heartfelt, powerful memoir will provide some insight. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario touches on her quirky childhood in Connecticut before diving into how she went from taking pictures as a hobby to shooting in conflict zones for days on end, including Afghanistan just after 9/11, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Congo, and Libya (where she was kidnapped). Read this fascinating book before it becomes a movie; film rights have already been bought, and it's reported that Steven Spielberg will direct and Jennifer Lawrence will star. For a more historic look at life and war, try acclaimed WWII photographer Robert Capa's memoir, Slightly Out of Focus.

If you love all things Italian and wish you knew more about the country and its people, The Italians makes an offer you can't refuse. This entertaining book is a "compact but comprehensive study" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) of what makes Italians unique, and it covers a wide range of topics, from Italy's storied beginnings, ties to religion, and the roots of the mafia to its beautiful land, delicious food, and intriguing regional differences. Written by British journalist John Hooper, who's lived in Italy for years, this book may prove especially intriguing for those of Italian ancestry or fans of Luigi Barzini's 1960s classic book also called The Italians.

Maine TV producer John Marshall and his yoga-instructor wife had always wanted to travel around the world with their kids. With time running out (their son was 17 and their daughter 14), they figured out how they could afford it: voluntourism! Traveling to multiple countries in six months, the Marshalls spent time at a wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica, at several organic farms in New Zealand, at schools in rural Thailand and the Himalayas, and at an orphanage in India. As an added bonus, Marshall briefly explores the family's reentry to regular life. Richly detailed and inspirational, Wide-Open World tallies up the spider monkey bites, depicts the family's experiences, and ends with a reconnected family.

If you like: Wild

If you enjoyed Cheryl Strayed's book or the movie based on it, you may be looking for similar reads. Here are a few selections for you to check out!

With only four camels and a dog for company, 20-something Robyn Davidson decided to walk across 1,700 miles of the Australian outback in the 1970s. As she prepared for her trip and then actually walked the desert on her way to the Indian Ocean, she faced misogyny, developed a relationship with a visiting National Geographic photographer, nursed sick camels, studied the local aboriginal dialect, and more. If you loved Wild for its beautiful, honest writing, hike over to the library to pick up this book. Originally published in 1980, like Wild, it too has been the basis for a movie; released in 2013, the Australian adaptation stars Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver.

After a devastating divorce, novelist and author Elizabeth Gilbert felt lost and needed to do something drastic, so she set off on a solo journey. She traveled to Italy, where she ate and enjoyed life, to India, where she meditated and quieted herself, and to Indonesia, where she learned about love, health, and balance. This charming bestselling book about Gilbert's life-changing year abroad inspired the 2010 film of the same name starring Julia Roberts. If you want to know what happens after Gilbert returns home, don't miss her follow-up memoir, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage, which deals with relationships and features travels through Southeast Asia. Wild fans who'd enjoy a more lighthearted, international journey of self-discovery should appreciate this book.

Bestselling author Jon Krakauer pieces together the dramatic -- and tragic -- story of Chris McCandless, a young man who embarked on a solo journey into the wilds of Alaska and whose body was discovered four months later. Why did this intelligent Emory graduate decide he wanted to be called "Alex Supertramp" and what made him travel with virtually no supplies and no map? A "wonderful page-turner written with humility, immediacy, and great style" (Kirkus Reviews), Into the Wild was originally published in 1996 and was adapted as a film in 2007 starring Emile Hirsch and directed by Sean Penn. This darker look at personal quests provides an interesting juxtaposition to Cheryl Strayed's Wild.

In this classic book that was originally published in 1955, Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her lyrical reflections as she spends a few weeks alone on a Florida island in a "sea-shell of a house." Lindbergh, a National Book Award winner, history-making aviatrix, wife of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, and mother of five, reflects on the demands and busyness of life and ponders simplicity, patience, life stages, love, relationships, peace, and the need for solitude. Readers who enjoyed Wild's self-reflective and inspirational passages will be particularly pleased with this delightful treasure.